>
> >In those studies Randy was the drift generalized and random?


Jerry Bromenshenk can answer that question with data.  Some hives appear to
be more attractive than others.

In general, drift does not appear to be random.  Bees generally drift to
nearer hives, and may be influenced by the placement of hives (in rows,
etc.).

I doubt that there is direct crawling by varroa, but a mite can easily
"smell" the difference between bees of different ages or from different
hives.  I recall one study about mite transfer at flowers--I suspect while
two bees from different hives touched.

In any case, there is no question re that many mites can enter a hive via
the entrance, hitchhiking on bees.  See Eva Frey's or Wyatt Mangum's
studies for methodology.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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